Air Force Following Investigation of SpaceX Rocket Explosion

According to Lieutenant General Samuel Greaves, the United States Air Force is closely following the internal investigation of a SpaceX rocket that exploded on June 28^th. The rocket was headed for the International Space Station (ISS) and carried a payload of supplies, but exploded in mid-air about two minutes after lift-off. It was the third failed supply mission in eight months, though the first for SpaceX, and was the first SpaceX failure in years.

A committee of 14 lawmakers questioned both the Air Force and NASA on their involvement in the investigation, which has been so far carried out by SpaceX. General Greaves stated that the Air Force, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), are both involved in the investigation, and have been so since the beginning. The committee also asked if the Air Force would decertify SpaceX for military contacts after the explosion, but the General responded that they would not be. The contracts in question would not be competed for or filled for several years, which would give SpaceX more than enough time to prevent future explosions.

According to Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, the explosion was caused by a faulty steel brace, which holds a bottle of helium used to pressurize the upper-stage engine’s liquid oxygen tank. Most likely, the brace did not function properly so the engine didn’t pressurize correctly, and exploded. SpaceX has already announced plans to improve their standards and test the braces more rigorously in the future.

Previously, an Orbital ATK Inc. rocket exploded en route to the ISS, and before that a Russian Progress freighter also exploded on its way to the station. In both cases the vehicles were only carrying supplies, and the FAA is handling the Orbital ATK Inc. investigation because they were under FAA oversight at the time.

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